Established to replace the Malaysian Special Service Unit The Malaysian Special Service Unit (MSSU) was a special operations task force formed during the
Indonesia–Malaysia Confrontation. Although it operated under the authority of the Malaysian Army, its members were drawn from across all branches of the Malaysian Armed Forces—including various army corps and regiments, as well as
sailors from the
Royal Malaysian Navy. This multi-branch composition created complications, particularly in terms of command structure, as MSSU commandos were still expected to report to their original parent units. To resolve these issues, the Malaysian Army established a dedicated special forces regiment—the
Malaysian Special Service Regiment (MSSR)—on 1 August 1970. MSSU personnel who wished to continue serving in special operations were required to resign from their original units and voluntarily transfer to the new regiment by 1973. On 1 April 1981, the 1st Malaysian Special Service Regiment (1 MSSR) was officially renamed the
21st Para Commando Regiment—short for
Parachute Commando. At the same time, the 2 MSSR was redesignated as the 22nd Para Commando Regiment. This renaming marked a significant shift in the role and identity of the units, signifying that all commando regiments within the Malaysian Army would now be trained and equipped as
airborne forces, capable of parachute insertion and rapid deployment.
Renamed as the 21st Commando Regiment In 1985, the Malaysian Army underwent a major restructuring, which also affected the Malaysian Special Service Group (MSSG) and its subordinate units. The MSSG was renamed the 21st Special Service Group, and the 21st Para Commando Regiment was renamed the 21st Commando Regiment. Similar changes also occurred within the 22nd Para Commando Regiment. == Structures ==